Meng Grandpa was talking with Qi Yuanshan on the large heated brick bed when Meng Yuluo suddenly ran in and reported, "Grand Uncle, Commander Qi, Tian Xingwang and his son from Wujia Village are here to see Commander Qi."
"Oh." Qi Yuanshan glanced at Meng Grandpa. Meng Grandpa nodded, and only then did Qi Yuanshan signal Meng Yuluo to let the father and son in.
Looking at the father and son gradually approaching from outside the gate through the glass window, Qi Yuanshan couldn't help but sigh, saying regretfully, "Among the corrupt officials and local tyrants exiled to Liaodong, Tian Xingwang is the most wronged."
"Oh, why?"
"He was implicated by his own mother and brother. His superior charged him with 'poor household management'."
Upon hearing the charge, Meng Grandpa also felt it was unfair for him. "It's hard on him. He can't control his mother, nor can he control his brother. Alas, what kind of situation is this."
"Yes, it's really difficult for him. I just don't know why he's here to find me in such cold weather."
Qi Yuanshan had a guess. It wasn't that Tian Xingwang's mother was causing trouble again, was it?
Thinking of the endless troubles that old woman stirred up, Qi Yuanshan frowned. Anyone who had such a mother would have terrible luck for the rest of their lives.
But Tian Xingsheng was an exception. It seemed that old woman was his biological mother. As for Tian Xingwang, it was definitely his stepmother, as everyone said.
Before Qi Yuanshan could analyze further, Tian Xingwang and his son had already entered the room.
Both father and son were well-mannered. After entering, their eyes didn't wander. They quickly bowed and said, "Your humble subject, Tian Xingwang, pays his respects to Commander Qi and Master Meng the Second."
"You are excused. If you have something to say, sit down and talk."
"Thank you, Commander, thank you, Master Meng the Second." Tian Xingwang did not sit down. Instead, he stood and spoke to Qi Yuanshan about his desire to separate the family.
"Oh, you want to divide the family?" Qi Yuanshan had occasionally heard about the Tian family's affairs in recent years, mostly about that old woman throwing tantrums, scolding, and abusing the eldest son's family.
In fact, everyone had their own judgment. It wasn't as if whatever the old woman said was right. Many people felt sorry for Tian Xingwang, but since Tian Xingwang, the person involved, endured it without speaking, what could they say?
To put it bluntly, they could only sigh and shake their heads, and curse him in their hearts as a coward. To be so thoroughly controlled by such a biased mother, and to let his wife and children suffer with him, was truly inhumane.
Tian Xingwang's mind was also in a mess. Hearing Commander Qi's question, he nodded silently.
He just wanted to separate the family now, and couldn't wait to leave that troublesome place.
But there were some things he found difficult to say.
Er Xi saw that his father was about to become a silent fool again and decided to add fuel to the fire. "Commander Qi, my father is scared by my second aunt."
As a son, he knew his father's weaknesses and that he had to help his father stir things up at critical moments.
"My grandmother used every trick she could to control our family of four and make us work like oxen and horses for them. My second aunt even shamelessly threw herself at my father. If my mother hadn't stopped her, my father might have already gone to hang himself from a crooked tree."
Tian Er Xi's words made everyone present think they had misheard. The brother's wife deliberately threw herself at the elder brother...? What was she trying to do?
As decent and upright people, Qi Yuanshan and Meng Grandpa were momentarily stunned.
Tian Er Xi forced a bitter smile and continued with a tearful voice, "My second aunt just wants to make us continue to support them. That's why she wants to slander my father and trample our family into the mud. If she had succeeded today, our family would probably be ruined."
The son's crying was the last straw for Tian Xingwang.
He "plop"ped onto his knees before Commander Qi and wailed, "Commander Qi, your humble subject wants to separate the family. Our family of four can no longer live in the same courtyard with them. That woman... your humble subject is scared."
The more Tian Xingwang spoke, the more frightened he became. "If something were to happen to me, a grown man, what would happen to my wife and children!"
It was the first time Meng Grandpa had seen a grown man pushed to such a state by his brother's wife. Fearing her like a flood or a monstrous beast was an understatement.
Looking at the simple and honest father and son, Meng Grandpa felt his compassion stirred again.
"Yuanshan..."
"Uncle, if he had come to me sooner, they would have separated the family long ago."
"It's all my fault, all my fault for being dull, which made my wife and children suffer with me." Tian Xingwang was on the verge of tears, regretting his past.
"Alright, get up. I will accompany you there now."
Just as killing a head requires a head, so helping a Buddha requires seeing them to the West. Since Tian Xingwang had finally stood up for himself, Qi Yuanshan wanted to help him.
"Yuanshan, you go with the donkey cart. It's freezing cold, go early and come back early."
"En. Actually, their family's affairs are quite easy to handle. It's just that he used to be so tolerant, what could we outsiders say."
Tian Er Xi: Commander Qi is so right. They suffered losses before because his father was a coward.
Since Commander Qi was going to help them today, he decided to be a little greedy.
He first helped his father up from the ground, and then, emboldened, he pleaded with Commander Qi, "Commander Qi, please, could you first help our family find a place to live? Our family cannot live in the same courtyard with them anymore. Who knows when my second aunt will throw herself at my father again."
Hearing his son's words, Tian Xingwang felt completely hopeless and even wanted to find a crooked tree to hang himself.
For an authentic performance, Fu Xinci wanted to give this uncle an award. Without enduring thirty years of humiliation, one could not portray such heartache.
Qi Yuanshan quite liked the young man before him. He remembered him from when he was playing in the snow with his son.
Qi He saw his father looking over and helped by saying, "Father, why don't you help them find a room in Mengjia Village?"
"Yes, Commander Qi, we don't mind if the room is small, as long as it's enough for our family of four to live in." Er Xi, seeing Qi He's help, nodded gratefully and followed Qi He's words.
Qi Yuanshan, who already intended to help Tian Xingwang, felt even more obligated to do so with his son's support.
"It's just that, are there any vacant rooms in Mengjia Village?"
Yes.
Just as everyone was in a difficult situation, Meng Yuluo spoke. "My old house is still vacant. If Er Xi's family is willing to live there, you can stay for now."
Er Xi truly did not expect that there would be an empty house in Mengjia Village, and it was in the house of a childhood friend. Instantly, his emotions were beyond description.
Qi Yuanshan looked at the father and son, who were filled with mixed emotions, and understood that they wouldn't have taken this step unless they were pushed to the brink.
"Alright, let's go quickly. The sooner we help you divide things, the sooner we can come back." To be honest, in such cold weather, Qi Yuanshan was reluctant to leave the warmth of Meng Uncle's heated brick bed.
"Ah, we'll leave right away." Tian Xingwang saw that Commander Qi had helped them so much. He wiped his face and followed Commander Qi out.